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The one thing that hasn’t been boring this last month in our house has to be the Dentist.
Dentists are usually one of those things that rarely make a dent in my life. As a young thing, I chose veneers and a crown in place of expensive jewellery for milestone birthdays as my own chompers were damaged as just a wee thing.
I spent every year of my life from age 8 to about 20 ish with my hand covering my mouth when I smiled. I used to sort of grimace with my mouth closed when I could, or limit the amount that I laughed.
Granted, it means I don’t have as many smile lines as most people my age (huge benefit to not smiling for over 12 years) and I had no jewellery to show off as I grew up, but I could finally smile without worrying how people would look at my damaged teeth.
Fast forward xx years and I decide that the last Dentist I took my children to was a snotty, freshly out of Aussie Dentistry novice. He gaily lambasted me in front of my kids for the fact that their teeth had signs of damage. I guess he never bothered to read the fact that they are adopted, that baby teeth were rotten before they got to me, and adult teeth have come in pretty weak for some reason. Naa, just complain, complain, complain.
So, off goes I, when a new Dentist opens up and I think I can actually get a NHS Dentist to cut the potential costs for my ageing mouth of chompers. I happily sign up myself, my husband, mother and three children.
We all have check-ups and they give me an x-ray to see if there is any decay behind my many veneers. To my dismay, a semi-front tooth needs a filling.
The man of the house goes first and while a wisdom tooth is being extracted, the Dentist slips and spears her finger while her hand is in his mouth. Cue tests for HIV, hepatitis and other things I can’t even begin to imagine for both of them. Oh the joys.
I have hidden decay tooth filled, and happily, old veneer doesn’t pop off during the process. I skip home with glee before coming back the next week with eldest for a filling.
He makes Dentist next customer more than an hour late as he starts to scream the place down every time she came near him with needle to freeze his mouth. Major sweating from Dentist and I, bribery and corruption – and much holding of head and hands to help get it done. Afterwards he says “that wasn’t so bad”.
Filled tooth with veneer starts to ache, badly. I return for a new appointment for the Dentist to tell me that the last filling was close to the nerve and she tried to take out the filling to put a bandage on the nerve. She froze my mouth, nothing, still felt it. She added more freeze, and yup, still didn’t work. After that I was sent packing with antibiotics and a wish and a hope that it starts to calm down over the weekend. So far, it’s still a wish and a hope, but it’s only coming in excruciating waves every 30- 60 minutes instead of every 20 – 30 minutes.
Yesterday, the man of the house bit on a sweetie from the kids, and his filling from three weeks ago fell out….
Surely our trips to the Dentist will subside soon………… I am hoping they are all sorted out BEFORE Xmas and New Year hit us. The way things are going, I am not entirely hopeful of a happy ending.
Toothache hurts – end of story.
🙁
Ouch! A new dentist perhaps?! Guess it will get better eventually but I feel your frustration.
CJ x
It might just have to be another new Dentist if I can’t get this fixed.
I know exactly what you are going through – hubby and I are keeping our dentist in full time employment at the moment – fillings – extractions – abscess and antibiotics – and a very poor bank balance – like you we are hoping for a dentist free start to the new year – we live in hope
Good luck
It’s a long time since I’ve had to have much work done. Hoping I can see the back of the toothache this week.
You’re braver than me too. I would have given up with it last week if I were you.
Dentist didn’t give me any choice in it sadly.
You are being so brave with this one. I would have had it yanked out days ago. Do hope it is all worth it and you save the tooth. As for the kids, mine have brushed well since first teeth but still have weak adult ones coming through, just genetic.
Struggling with it this afternoon I have to say. It seems to be getting worse again.
There is nothing, NOTHING!! Worse than toothache. I’m right there with you on that one. I too have phases where I might as well move into my dentist surgery. If its not pain fillings and extractions it’s back round to checkups and hygienists. Yawn!
I’m about at tie a string around it and yank it out stage. Has got worse today. About to stalk the Dentist 4 an appointment.